The Central Intercollegiate Athletic Association announced its pre-season men’s and women’s All-CIAA Team, Pre-season predictions, and television schedule at the 1999 CIAA Basketball Roundup held on Tuesday, October 12 at the North Raleigh Hilton Hotel in Raleigh, NC.
Returning 1998-99-CIAA star athletes Beverly Winstead, Deidra Fields, & Tiffany Moss of, Bowie State University, three-time CIAA championship team, head this spectacular preseason team. They are joined by Raquita Washington (ECSU); Marian Moore and Shaunici Morgan (FSU); Marquisha Clayburn (JCSU); Erica Deas, Julie Tarrance and Chantel Edwards (LC); Amba Kongolo (NCCU); and Anastacia Sands (SAC).
Reigning CIAA champion, Bowie State University was predicted by the CIAA Women’s Basketball Coaches Association to win the Eastern Division title once more this season. The Lady Bulldogs ended the season 10-0 in the CIAA, 15-1 in the division and 25-4 overall. Livingstone College has been selected to finish first in the Western division. The Lady Rams ended the 98-99 campaign 7-3 Division, 12-4 Conference , 28-8 Overall.
For the men, 1999 CIAA Championship team members Larry Patterson and Marcus Best of Winston-Salem State lead the team. They are joined by Marcus Riddick and William Fitzgerald (ECSU); Lemans Shingler and Wilye Petty (JCSU); Rodney Gidney (LC); Jimmy Boston and Brett Harper (NCCU); Derick Singleton (SPC); Christian Anderson and Chandar Bingham (VUU). Virginia Union University was chosen by the CIAA Men’s Basketball Coaches Association to finish first in the Eastern Division. They finished the campaign with an impressive 9-1 Divisional, 13-3 Conference and 22-5 Overall record. N.C. Central University has been picked to repeat as the Western Division Champions posting a 7-3 Divisional, 10-6 Conference, and 16-12 Overall record last season division.
The CIAA television basketball schedule features seven of the twelve conference schools, commencing on January 15 with the Charlotte Legacy Classic where Johnson C. Smith will play host to N.C. Central at 6:30 PM. On January 16, Virginia Union takes on Virginia State in the annual Freedom Classic in Peterburg, VA at 8:00 PM. The February 5th, 8:30 PM game of the Martin Luther King Jr. Classic will be aired. The game features Winston-Salem State at N.C. Central. On February 19, Winston-Salem State will take on Fayetteville State at Capel Arena in Fayetteville, NC at 7:30 PM.. Virginia Union travels to play Elizabeth City State University in Elizabeth City, NC on February 26 at 7:30 PM. The television package also includes eight CIAA Tournament games (4 men’s quarter finals, 2 men’s semifinals, and both the men’s and women’s final games.
The Conference also announced that it has designated WRDC UPN 28, Raleigh, NC as the official CIAA Television Network, produced by Street and Smith Productions of Charlotte, NC. WRDC will provide live coverage of all five (5) regular season CIAA Basketball contests, and the 2000 CIAA Basketball Tournament held in Raleigh, NC, February 28-March 4, 2000 at the Raleigh Sports and Entertainment Arena. Tournament coverage will include the men’s quarter finals March 2nd, men’s semifinals on March 3rd, and both men’s and women’s finals on March 4th.